Toy track structure



Jan. 22, 1963 J. L. BONANNO TOY TRACK STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 22. 1958 b 0 .MM 6 a 9 I m w W 6 W M- F M T M W3 7 f 7 k. L: W... L! E E r A/ M fl Mm. A 6 5 \IIWWA /02 w fluu 69 Y J 0 n "a 4. a s 44F W m h 1 T y INVENTOR Massey LEMMA/N0 ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 22, 1958 W 6 E w. .1 25 g. g E; i Ir? m w M03: fl%.

0/0 :fi FE 5 LFIIIIIII Il' INVENTOR R a 0 2m 3 E J United States Patent Ofltice 3,974,647 Patented Jan. 22, 1963 3,674,647 TOY TRACKSTRUCTURE Joseph L. Bonanno, South Orange, N.J., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N,Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 22, 1958, Ser. No. 768,987 1 Claim. (Cl. 238-) This invention relates in general to model railroads and particularly to a new and useful track construction and current connector for such railroads.

The present invention is directed to the type of toy railroad track including the usual spaced Wheel bearing rails and an interposed power rail, and includes the provision of an insulating material mounting base for all of the track rails. The mounting base is made to simulate the wooden ties of an ordinary life size railroad. A feature of this construction is the easy provision for mounting each of the wheel bearing rails and the current connecting third or power rail. The construction permits the mass production of the insulating material mounting base for each length of track. Such material is preferably a heat or pressure moldable plastic which is formed into railroad tie configurations which are interconnected by thin, substantially invisible bridging portions. The construction is made to permit alignment of each of the rails on the insulating tie members.

Each of the wheel bearing rails is secured at each end of each insulating section by a strengthening and securing stake plate having upwardly projecting studs which are bent over the flanges of these rails.

A feature of the construction is the provision of a third rail which is made of a conductive copper which is of a color which blends with the ties and thus makes it rather inconspicuous. The ties are made hollow and the third rail is secured to alternate insulating ties by forming the rails with securing tabs which may be alternately bent underneath the hollow ties to secure them in place thereto.

The assembled track structure is both lightweight and sturdy and may be assembled to similar track structures by a ball tongue and groove construction which permits interlocking of the insulating ties as well as alignment and securing of the rail members and their electrical connections for current't-ransmitting and grounding purposes.

Accordingly it is an object of this invention to provide an improved track "structure for a toy railroad.

A further object of' this invention is to provide an improved track structure including a supporting base made of insulating material and formed in a single strip in a railroad tie configuration and having securing means at each end for fastening to a similar track supporting structure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved track structure including an insulating base member formed to simulate a plurality of railroad ties and including means thereon for easily securing each of a pair of wheel bearing rails and a current transmitting third rail thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for connecting track structures of toy railroads together.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy railroad track construction which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the track structure constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of adjacent track structures indicating their positioning for interconnection;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of a track structure constructed in accordance with the invention with a similar track structure connected thereto indicated in phantom;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5 and FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawings in particular the invention as embodied therein includes a track supporting base structure generally designated 10 upon which are mounted a pair of wheel bearing rails 12 and 14 and a centrally positioned third or power rail 16.

In accordance with the invention the base structure 10 is preferably made of a somewhat flexible but sufliciently rigid material such as a molded polystyrene plastic, rubber or the like. The base structure includes a plurality of hollow substantially similar cross members or tie- :simulating members 13 which are interconnected by longitudinally extending, track supporting bridging members '20 and 22 located at each side of the ties 18 and providing a flat support for the rails 12 and 14, respectively.

The supporting structure 10 is reinforced by forming the last two adjacent ties with a bridging web 23 which interconnects the central portion thereof. In addition the central pair of ties are provided with a bridging web 24 (FIG. 3) which is similar to the web 23. Each track section, therefore, has three bridging webs, the two end ties on each end having the bridging web 23 and the center two having the bridging web 24.

Each of the bridging webs 23 and 24 are provided with a pair of downwardly extending aligning or centering bosses 26, 26 to permit centering of correspondingly dimensioned apertures 28, 28 of a reinforcing and rail staking member generally designated 30 thereon.

The base structure reinforcing and rail staking member 30 is substantially rectangular and is provided with upstanding side walls 32 and 34 each having upstanding rail securing stakes 36, 36 and 38, 38 at each end thereof. Each rail securing stake 36 and 38 has a pair of opposed securing studs 40 and 42 which extend upwardly through openings on each side of the flanges of the wheel bearing tracks 12 and 14 and are bent downwardly over the flange to secure-the tracks in place. To position each of the rails 12 and '14 on the insulating base structure 10 it is merely necessary to position rails over the longitudinally extending bridging members, 20 and 22, respectively, and insert the reinforcing and rail staking members 30 in position over the bosses 26 and thereafter depress the rail securing studs '40 and 42 into position overlying the flanges of each of the associated rails.

The third rail 16 is preferably made of a single strip of conductive material such as copper which is cut away in a plurality of locations to define securing tabs 44. The tabs 44 are defined in locations overlying alternate ties 18. Each of the ties is formed with a third rail receiving recess 46 through which the third rail 16 is positioned. After the third rail is positioned in the recesses '46 the tabs '44 are bent over, adjacent the inner surface of the hollow ties 18. The tabs 44 are preferably bent in alternate directions proceeding along the length of the base structure 10.

In accordance with the invention each end of the base structure 10 is provided with a vertically elongated female ball socket 48 formed as an extension of the bridging member 20 or 22 and a vertically elongated male cooperating ball 50. It is preferable to form the base structure 10 with a female socket 48' in alignment with one end of the bridging member 20 and a male ball 50 in alignment with the opposite end, and with similar ends of the bridging member 22 having opposite socket or male ball members in the associated ends of the bridging members 20. Since the female socket 48 and the male ball 50 are each made of a resilient plastic material they are sufficiently flexible to permit easy bending to facilitate their interconnection.

Each track structure A is joined to a similar track structure B (FIGS. 2 and 3) by positioning the structure in the aligned position indicated in FIG. 2. Corresponding ball and female socket members of the base structure 10 are aligned and the balls positioned in the respective associated sockets at each side of the structure. Each of the end rails 12 and 14 are connected electrically by pins 52 and 54 which extend through the usual hollow upper rounded portion of these rail structures.

The third rail 16 is recessed at each end as at 57 to accommodate a current bridging clip 58 (see FIG. 1). The bridging clip 58 is substantially U-shaped and includes two central portions 59 having outwardly extending centering flanges 60 and two end portions 61 having outwardly extending centering flanges 62. The clip 58 is positioned over the recessed portions of adjacent ends of the third rails 16 and pressed downwardly thereon to bring a top edge 64 thereof in alignment with the top edge of the third rail 16. The clip 58 is easily positioned in the recess 57 between adjacent power rails and effects correct spacing and alignment thereof. The ends of the clip abut the ends of the recess and the clip 58 is sized to space the power rails apart a uniform amount. The different size of the central portions '9 and end portions 61 permit easy centering and attachment of the clip.

It should be realized that the bridging clip 58 may be made of an insulating material when it is desired to insulate a section of track, such as for switching or control purposes. In such instance, the bridging member electrically isolates the track section to which it is applied and also insures that adjacent power rails over which it is placed are spaced apart and electrically isolated. The bridging clip 58 is preferably made of a uniform length which insures that the bridged power rails will always be spaced apart in order to permit use of the clip as an electrical connector as well as an electrical insulator.

Thus the invention provides a very inexpensive track structure which has the advantage of being both durable and sturdy and is also very easy to assemble to similar sections of track. The track structure permits accurate aligning of the track sections and maintenance of the assembled trackway in its aligned interconnected relationship. With tracks formed with a plurality of track structures constructed in accordance with the invention there is no likelihood of any current failure or track separation. The track structure ideally simulates the look of an actual full-scale railroad track.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

I claim:

A toy railroad track section comprising a molded track base of deformable plastic having a plurality of spaced transverse ties and integral longitudinal connecting members joining said ties having ends extending beyond the end ties, deformable ball and socket means integrally formed in each of said ends including male and female portions arranged for mating engagement with similar portions of another track section upon inward compressive movement together, said ties including longitudinally aligned slots in a central portion thereof, a vertically elongated power rail of thin rectangular cross section within said slots, said power rail having recessed upper edge end portions of substantial longitudinal length adapted to receive a portion of a connecting clip of corresponding length and thickness in flush relation with the upper edge of said power rail when said power rail is electrically connected with an abutting end of a similar power rail on the adjacent track section, means securing the lower edge of said power rail to said ties, a pair of spaced I-shaped wheel supporting rails having recessed end portions secured to said base above said connecting members, rail bridging pins in the recessed end portions of said rails and protruding therefrom, an integrally molded reinforcing web portion extending horizontally between the end ties and their adjacent ties on said base, said web extending laterally across the entire width of the ties between the spaced wheel supporting rails and having spaced apertures therethrough, a U-shaped channel disposed beneath said web between the two end ties of said base having apertures therethrough of greater dimension than, and in registry with, said web apertures, and protruding boss portions about said Web apertures and extending through said channel apertures to provide electrically insulated mounting holes at either end of said track section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 442,068 Markillie Dec. 2, 1890 1,076,044 Kintner Oct. 21, 1913 1,508,475 Pons Sept. 16, 1924 2,084,322 Crane June 22, 1937 2,543,460 Larrabee Feb. 27, 1951 2,565,359 Dubilier Aug. 21, 1951 2,576,828 Faber Nov. 27, 1951 2,662,335 Calverley Dec. 15, 1953 2,673,689 Bonanno Mar. 30, 1954 2,711,857 Venetzian et a1 June 28, 1955 2,763,848 Tuchel Sept. 18, 1956 2,81 1,315 Hiitenstein Oct. 29, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 734,948 France Aug. 13, 1932 802,283 France June 6, 1936 693,556 Great Britain July 1, 1953 

